Advancement to the Effectiveness of Body Armor

ABSTRACT

A design for improvement to body armor design which adds a uniquely designed fiberglass diffuser layer with flat topped pedestals to the backside of the prior art of armor which has a debris collection backing layer and a hard faced ceramic facing layer and includes the option to add a protective tear resistant thin polyester film to reduce handling damage resulting in improved protection from armor piercing bullets by further reducing back face deformation of the armor and thus reducing impact to the body.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an improvement to protective body armor for protection of personnel from impact of powerful 20 to 40 caliber armor piercing bullets shot from guns such as assault and sniper rifles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Protective armor is currently available, for example, to the military, law enforcement officers, and peace keepers. Such protective armor is typically positioned directly on a person (e.g., as body armor worn in a vest or in a flak jacket).

Though the prior art of currently available body armor is sometimes capable of preventing these higher caliber bullets from traveling through the armor and entering the body, the forces generated upon impact typically deforms in varying degrees of severity the back face of the armor (i.e., the side of the armor furthest from the initial point of impact) causing damage and even mortal wounds to the person intended to be protected. It is noted the prior art is often subject to handling damage if the ceramic layer is dropped or mishandled and subject to ceramic fragment dispersion after impact.

At least in view of the above, it would be desirable to improve upon the prior art protective body armor by adding a feature that reduces back face deformation further protecting personnel from the projectiles of these powerful higher caliber projectiles. It would also be desirable to reduce handling damage to the ceramic facing layer and reduce ceramic fragment dispersion after impact. It would also be desirable to provide novel methods for manufacturing such protective armor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to functionally, structurally and practically improve upon prior art to reduce back face deformation of the armor to mitigate damage. It is further an object of certain embodiments of the present invention to enhance the prior art such as for example the Laminated Ceramic Structure Chyung et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,151, Composite Ceramic Body Armor or Shield Hansen U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,210, Hard Faced Ceramic and Plastic Armor R. L. Cook U.S. Pat. No. 3,509,833, the Flexible Protective Armour Material and Method of Making Same L. E. Gates, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,426 and Gulbierz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,418. Though each of these inventions incorporate multi-layered assemblies and one in one case attempts to dampen shock through the laminate fibers, none of these inventions have a design feature which has a layer with flat topped pedestals located behind the debris collection backing layer to reduce back face deformation. In addition, it is also an object of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a surface application to reduce handling damage, improved ceramic fragment containment after impact and methods for manufacturing such protective armor.

The foregoing needs are met by certain embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention is to improve upon prior art inventions such as Laminated Ceramic Structure Chyung et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,151, and the invention of Composite Ceramic Body Armor or Shield Hansen U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,210, both of which incorporated armor with a ceramic facing which would break up a small arms projectile and are mated to a debris collection backing layer to serve as a collection layer of the resulting bullet fragments. This invention adds to prior art inventions such as Chyung's and Hanson's by including a particular a unique diffuser layer to the backside of this prior art that has flat topped pedestals molded within consisting of layers of resin impregnated glass fiber fabric which when fastened to the debris collection backing layer t has been demonstrated by testing at a U.S. Government approved laboratory to aid in reducing back face deformation which a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize as the government standard for measurement for body armor effectiveness and qualifying the same. This invention also allows the option for the application of a protective tear resistant thin polyester film to the strike face surface to reduce handling damage and reduce ceramic fragment dispersion after impact.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application, to the details of construction, to the number of layers or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments and materials in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective, exploded view of three components of one embodiment of protective armor showing a diffuser layer with flat topped pedestals attached to prior art inventions such as Chyung's or Hanson's debris collection backing layer which is attached to prior art inventions such as Chyung's or Hanson's ceramic facing impact plate layer.

FIG. 2 is a perspective, assembled view of three components of one embodiment of protective armor showing a diffuser layer with flat topped pedestals attached to prior art inventions such as Chyung's or Hanson's debris collection backing layer which is attached to prior art inventions such as Chyung's or Hanson's ceramic facing impact plate layer.

FIG. 3 illustrates possible applications of this advanced body armor pointing to locations on soldiers where this advanced body armor plates can be utilized such as the chest, back, sides groin and leg are all areas potentially protected by this body armor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. Certain embodiments of the present invention include protective armor that may be used as a defense against armor piercing bullets according to the present discussion.

FIG. 1 is a perspective, exploded view comprising the advancement to prior art inventions such as Chyung's or Hanson's by adding a diffuser layer 18 with solid flat topped pedestals 28 to enable bonding to Chyung's or Hanson's prior art of a debris collection backing layer or element 16 which is attached to Chyung's or Hanson's prior art hard ceramic impact facing layer or plate 12 serving as a strike face 14 which is the surface to apply an optional application of a protective tear resistant thin polyester film to reduce handling damage and reduce ceramic fragment dispersion after impact.

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of FIG. 1, comprising the advancement to the prior art by adding a diffuser layer 18 with solid flat topped pedestals 28 which is attached to prior art inventions such as Chyung's or Hanson's debris collection backing layer or element 16 which is attached prior art inventions such as Chyung's or Hanson's hard ceramic impact layer or plate 12 serving as a facing 14 and provides a cross section view of the same assembled configuration.

FIG. 3 illustrates possible applications of this advanced body armor pointing to locations on soldiers where this advanced body armor plates can be utilized such as the chest 1, back 2, side 3, groin 4 and leg area 5 are protected by body armor. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A design for improvement to body armor which adds a uniquely designed glass fiber resin impregnated diffuser layer with multiple solid molded flat topped pedestals measuring approximately quarter inch tall and half inch wide that are spaced roughly three quarter inches apart over the entire inner surface area of the layer that is attached to the backside of prior art inventions such as Chyung's or Hanson's that have a debris collection backing layer or element which is attached to prior art inventions such as Chyung's or Hanson's hard ceramic facing layer or plate where the combination of the above results in the useful utility of improved protection from 20-40 caliber armor piercing bullets by further reducing back face deformation of the armor assembly and as such reduces the resulting impact to the body intended to be protected.
 2. configuration described in claim 1 where the diffuser layer with multiple solid molded flat topped pedestals is alternatively made of advanced molding materials such metal matrix composites or resin impregnated carbon fibers which can be laminated or fabricated by the use of advanced manufacturing techniques such as machining, photo etching, chemical milling, casting or injection molding and includes the option to apply either by adhesion or by paint on methods a protective tear resistant thin polyester film to the ceramic facing layer strike face to reduce handling damage and reduce ceramic fragment dispersion after impact to this combined assembly.
 3. configuration described in both claim 1 and claim 2 whereby the flat topped pedestals in the diffusion layer can be made in a variety of dimensions, spacing and perimeter configurations such as round, oval, diamond, triangle, rectangle or square and can be space in aligned or offset locations within the diffuser layer and or molded and affixed separately. 